BACK TO THE TITLE! Orange Advance Past UConn

Friday, November 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Syracuse University

(20-1)

#3 UConn

(22-1)

UConn

Syracuse

11/20/2015 3:05:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

Fenne scores twice in 3-1 win

Twenty-one games later and the No. 2 Syracuse field hockey team (20-1) is back to the NCAA Title game for the second-straight season after defeating No. 3 UConn (22-1) 3-1 in the NCAA Semifinal on Friday.

Led by a pair of early goals, the Orange dispatched the two-time defending National Champion Huskies, ending their 38-game win streak.

Syracuse's second-straight title game appearance is just the second NCAA Championship game in program history.

"I thought we came out and came right at them," said head coach Ange Bradley. "We scored in the first-two minutes of play and we played with a lot of speed. We played a really good game - strong enough to win it and advance to the final, which is another step in what we're shooting for."

'Cuse's early goal came at the hands of Fenne, who after a broken corner attempt, collected the ball and brought it into the circle, ripping a low shot into the corner of the net for the score just two minutes into play. The goal was the earliest tally of the season for Syracuse.

Russell then opened it up for the Orange by driving baseline 18 minutes later where she beat the defender and carried the ball towards the cage and around UConn goalkeeper Nina Klein for the score.

The Huskies upped the pressure late in the first half and were rewarded with a penalty stroke after 'Cuse goalkeeper Jess Jecko slid into the Huskies ball carrier to prevent the score.

Casey Umstead delivered the penalty stroke goal with 3:35 remaining in the half, but it was the only blemish on the day for Jecko and the Orange defense, who allowed a season-low six shots for UConn.

With 9:58 remaining in regulation, Fenne delivered the dagger for the Orange, after taking a touch pass from Emma Russell, Fenne faked out Klein and scored on the open net after she was drawn out of the cage.

Syracuse will now take on No. 1 North Carolina in Sunday's NCAA Championship game at 1 p.m.